5 best FIRE STARTERS you can make at Home!

[@rg3412]

This straw and cotton ball idea is pure genius

[@hughesoutdoors5017]

I just tried your straw tip but instead of Vaseline I used charcoal lighter. Got a couple minutes of burn out of that. Thanks for the tips!!

[@brontosa5351]

This video is golden, thank you

[@ruzabenedikt2026]

Nice just watch videos of Russian wood stove cooking and see Grandmas use toilet paper rolls to start a fire even easier with no wax or lint but stuffed with paper. We use this technique in our wood fired oven and grill all the time.

[@d1v1s1onby0]

Tried to buy your books - but no shipping to Australia 😢 very sad

[@clayhayeshunter]

Yeah, sorry about that. It’s just too expensive and no tracking available. You can get it on Amazon though.

[@kareander67]

As a Swede, living in scandinavia, its really nice to compare your outdoor solutions with mine in my own environment. Very simple, down to earth advice from you. Well done, keep that fire burning 👏👌

[@tracycolorado]

Words to the wise , take a thick rubber band , wrap it around the lighter in between the gas lever and lighter body , so when the lighter is in your pocket or pack , it doesn't accidentally get the gas lever pressed to lose all of your gas fuel , you can also use rubber band as fuel for starting a fire too

[@justjonoutdoors]

I use a short piece of paracord with a jam-knot on it for the same purpose.

[@andrewfitzpatrick9799]

My dad taught me to make the egg carton ones. We use dryer lint in stead of paper. Soaks up tons of wax and burns forever. Plus there’s always dryer lint. Pocket lint works as great kindling also if all else fails. I generally keep some in my pocket.

[@RiverbendlongbowsOutdoors]

Very good 👍🏻 Chapstick and a piece of my cotton t-shirt saved me back in 89. Got caught in a rain and Sleet storm fishing deep in the Gila. Closest I've been to hypothermia. Great tips 👌

[@jaimeleondelaparra3877]

I like to take a cotton ball and sandwich it in between Gorilla Tape. I'll make a few of these little packets and store them in a small Ziploc bag that I can easily stash in a pack. When needed, just tear open the taped up cotton ball to expose some fibers and hit that with a ferro rod or lighter. The cotton will catch the spark and/or flame, and the tape will be the flame extender. Great video as always. Keep up the great content, Clay.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Good tip

[@hobofab]

Simple and yet it never occurred to me. Can't wait to play with this idea. Do you treat the cotton material with anything?

[@jaimeleondelaparra3877]

@Hobo Fabulous not at all, since the tape acts as the water/weatherproof sealant. I just flatten the cotton ball and make sure all sides are completely sealed around it.

[@greyscout01]

I like it. The straw thing gave me trouble. Your tape solution is one of those 'duh' things. Thanks

[@OdeeOz]

2:58 Put the Cotton Balls in a Tin Cigar Tube, or other pocket sized metal container, and you are golden for no Vaseline eating the plastic bag, and leaking into your pack. 😉💯👍

[@mem7048]

I use those cotton rounds that are for removing makeup and put one half in melted beeswax and coat the other half with Vaseline. I store them in used Grizzly cans with a strip of electrical tape around the can to secure the top on. Burns over 5 minutes each, ans works in all weather.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Nice

[@hobofab]

Great idea!

[@TheWingnut58]

I use the cotton rounds soaked in melted "t-light" candles....very cheap and effective all season fire starters. I also use the plastic "snuff" containers to store them...

[@Terpedup925]

That straw technique is nice. Definitely going to try that one. Thanks clay

[@StelznerGaming]

Going to make tons of these straw things. Cheap, easy to make, and effective. Thank you Clay.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Absolutely

[@middknightdream1577]

Best time to collect fat wood is after Christmas, just go cut the bottom 1ft of wood off the Christmas trees you see being thrown out, they are full of pine resin. A decent fire starter I made uses wax shavings from either a fine cheese grater or pencil sharpener in a rolled up cotton ball sealed in a duct tape pouch. The cotton is your wic, the wax and duct tape are your extenders, the wax is more for keeping the fire going long enough to light the duct tape. I also learned you can take a 1 ft piece of duct tape and roll it length wise to make a makeshift candle, burn time varies based on type and brand of duct tape.

[@offthearrowshelf]

Thanks for sharing these tips with everyone. The straw tip is great and going to add this my camping gear. I’ve used a version of the egg tray method for making fire starters for scout campfires. One addition I have found that helps is using out of date old wound bandage or wound dressing form your first aid kit. Adding a layer of this before filling the egg tray , then add the wood shavings , lint from your dryer or whatever. Then another layer of dressing material before you pour the wax on top and it seeps through the top dressing. I’ve found doing this means it is easier to light as the dressing acts as a wick.

[@marry9894]

I’m going to make some of these straw starters with my grandson, it’s never to early to start teaching the little ones 🙏🏽thank you for an amazing great viseo!!

[@src3360]

Im 40 yo and can remember my granpa showing me and teaching me stuff like this when we were hunting and fishing 💖 Things ill never forget

[@adammetzner]

We used to make the egg crate version and use dryer lint in them. Works great.

[@caseysmith544]

We did the same thing putting dryer lint into a bag, though somebody I think my dad pit cat hair in there as well just becuse he can smell a stink with the dryer lint that few if anybody else can smell.

[@caseysmith544]

we did the same thing saving dryer lint in a bag though my dad he put some gray cat hair from some now no longer living cats in there because he can smell a smell that is off with the regular dryer lint that few if anybody can smell.

[@8626John]

​@@caseysmith544And he'd rather smell burning cat hair? Lol

[@mab0852]

I trade out the Vaseline for Obenauf's. It's much more multi-purpose because I use it on my boots, knife sheath, gloves, as a rust inhibitor on my knife, and even as lip balm. It even works good on cuts, scrapes, or dry cracked hands. Yeah it's more expensive, but the versatility is terrific. I like to think of it as back woods Ballistol as well. Really good at stopping squeaky gear or lubing a fussy zipper.

[@clayhayeshunter]

Yeah, that stuff is great

[@caseysmith544]

@@clayhayeshunter I do the same thing but would swap out the Vaseline for Aquaphor or similar generic, this stuff is something I use for chaffing as it dose the same as Vaseline but no sting and can be an emergency chafed lip thing and hands so if I were out in the woods this is what I would use. A cheap lip balm/Chapstick would work as a fire starter too if it is the Petroleum type and most of the cheaper stuff is a byproduct that the Oil industry can't really use for much.

[@MCOult]

Empty pellet or shoe polish tins make excellent cases for the petroleum jelly-soaked cotton balls; both are nearly water/air-proof. I have firestarters I made this way more than 15 years ago that work perfectly. You can also use the tins for charcloth: one tin for making it, one for storing/carrying it. BTW, for those of us who save sawdust from our table/miter saws, it's excellent for use with the egg carton fire starters: burns longer than wood shavings. Thanks for an excellent video!

[@hobofab]

Im down South from you in Central Florida and love seeing things conducive to our climate and environment! I first came across those diy straw and cotton waterproof fire starters watching Alan Keys and thought how cool they were. I almost always have my little Esbit pocket stove and a couple cubes because it's my favorite but I also have so many fire redundancies on me or in my vehicle that if I die because I can't make a fire then I deserve to die lol Great video

[@sacwriter7400]

I found a hack for those egg crate and wood shavings fire starters. Just dip a couple of wooden matches in paraffin, cut them off to about an inch, and then stick the match heads into the sawdust right after you soak it in your candle wax. You can just light the matches with your Bic, or if you crush the heads first with your Leatherman and then hit them with a firerod or a flint and steel.

[@akbychoice]

Put fire starters in old medicine bottles that seal water tight. Remove labels and mark as fire starters.

[@tomalophicon]

Used bicycle innertube is the best firestarter. Plus it has myriad other uses around the home and in the bush.

[@HedgeapleJoe]

I see white pines with gobs of pine tar oozing out of spots in the trunk. Just wondering if that would work?

[@stuffbywoody5497]

Similar to your egg carton cup, I use the cotton lint (make sure there is absolutely no synthetic material in it, cotton only) from the dryer and use the aluminium tea light candle cups as a mold and pack them with the cotton dryer lint and melt old candle wax (can be beeswax, paraffin or the soy candle wax) and poor it on to the cotton lint. A full size lint and wax disc can burn for up to 8 minutes, or cut in half can burn for about 3-4 minutes. I usually pair it up with a piece of char cloth, and sometimes when I make them I put a bit of char cloth in the top so it's already there and ready to go. I have a tin (similar to your altodes) that I keep them in.

[@donniecatalano]

I recycle sawdust and my bees discarded wax. They really go for ages and they even smell nice, being theold wax soaked in honey.

[@bestfamily4489]

Wax cups light easier if you add twine wicks that you fray, once it hardens. Ends up looking like a cupcake with an afro, fire rod or spent lighter can get it going.

[@technicalhandHJ]

In Indian villages we always use pine wood for start fire at tradisional kitchen from centuries

[@customcutter100]

If you can't find "fat lighter" then pine cones work just as well. Very high resin content.

[@henrydjr]

Keep a magnifying glass in your pack. The sun always rises.

[@papawhisky2935]

I beg to differ (I live in the UK)

[@belindax4897]

Yep uk too. And there are weeks when the sun never rises.lol

[@farstrider79]

Good stuff! I've never made the egg carton ones, but I've always got Vaseline soaked cotton balls in my pack, and like searching for fatwood. I do keep meaning to put some tape around my lighters, always forget though.

[@peyotephoenix5882]

Bicycle inner tubes always live in my bob. They have so many uses as well as being great fire starters/extenders and are light to carry 👍🏾

[@1320420]

The best storage method I found for the Vaseline cotton balls is old pill bottles.

[@philiph554]

I made and used the cotton pads/discs, soaked in wax, but pressed out the excess, they are very easy to light and last quite a while

[@junrenman]

Love it. Vaseline soaked cotton balls in an old pill container has been my go to for years.

[@doloinc]

I prefer cotton makeup applicators dipped in melted paraffin. They are significantly easier to deal with when starting fires. Last longer too, even when using a small piece

[@FARACI1]

Fantastic video really like your straws and cotton. One of the things that I’ve done with the cotton balls so that they don’t get all over the place is to put them into a pill bottle whether it’s prescription or over-the-counter make up your cotton balls Vaseline drop them in there. You could use a stick to get it out so it’s not messy, and they work really well that way and that way they won’t get all over everything as your pack heats up well the weather does. And if you’re worried about it, you can always put the bottle into a Ziploc storage baggie.

[@joeyware1678]

Enjoy your videos! Your knowledge is second to none and great communication. My go to DIY fire starter is a jumbo cotton ball half dipped in wax. They are easy and cheap to make, way cleaner than petroleum jelly, and great burn time.

[@oodawg]

Good video. I have used the straw trick for neosporin before. The soaked cotton ball straw is a great idea never seen that before. You could also rub it on a cut or burn. Thanks for the idea.

[@akbychoice]

You can put salt, pepper and other seasonings in straws.

[@WinterSoldier7207]

I suppose with the vaseline cotton balls, it would be just as easy to keep both items stored separately, only mixing the two as needed. That way, you can also use the cotton balls and vaseline for other purposes as well.

[@elund408]

my go to for years is the egg cartons filled with dryer lint. then covered in beeswax and paraffin wax they will burn for 15 minutes. but the straw idea is great and would likely easier take a spark from a ferro rod, Ill have to add some of those.

[@turnstyles7485]

I keep my petroleum jelly cotton balls in an old Airborne tube. It's light, water tight , tough and the lid stays put. You could use an old pill bottle but it wouldn't be water tight.

[@katiegleaves3792]

I've used a similar tube: from Mini M&Ms 😅

[@vikingslayer34]

Store the cotton balls in an old chew can. Works good.

[@kittyanaspenelope3128]

80 year old great-great grandma here, gonna make the cotton/straw for Go Bag and the egg carton molds. Helene cut out electricity in my area. Used my Kelly Kettle Trekker to cook dinners for myself and 2 grandkids. First night was hamburger and last night budget steaks (2). Originally purchased the smallest Kettle just for self and because it was lightest weight for carrying. Cooked in the back yard and was serenaded by all the neighbor’s generators, lol.

[@caseysmith544]

A good duct tape is Iron Force, it is currently only Home Depot that Carries the stuff but it can be found and shipped to your house off the site and in bulk sizes too. My brother and I did this with 9 or 12 of the rolls just to give some to other people and have a backup for ourselves. This stuff never gets suck to itself in a hot car maybe a little but harder to use on the hottest days or loses its stick and if you take off the tape early enough the tape will not leave residue . Iron Force is almost a low grade poor quality theater/camera tape in the way it works.

[@wes-w8s]

The ancients used every method known (at the time) to make fire. If they had found and figured out a BIC,....THAT would have been their EDC, along with a few other things, just like we do.

[@RetUSNdude]

You can put duct tape on the small ziplock bag for the cotton balls. Been doing this for years it works good.

[@sheerwillsurvival2064]

I’ve always used cotton balls in Vaseline and dipped in wax

[@JulioHernandez-zs5pb]

The last one you showed is named Ocote in Mexico

[@clayhayeshunter]

Interesting

[@SurvivalDoctors]

Nice, gonna try using bubble tea straws 😂

[@savetrott4193]

Brilliant Ideas, Especially the Straw, Vaseline & Cotton Wool. Thanks 👍🏻

[@sandycove777]

Thanks for the ideas! I'm trying the egg carton dyi today. I used bits of the carton for the filler, a wad of dryer lint on top of that, melted old candle wax. I used tha smallest amount that I could of wax. Left some of the lint dry and fluffy so a spark can light it. We are going to fire up the lump charcoal and do some grilling, Cheers!

[@randmcnally6442]

I love the cotton in the straw, my go to is the cotton balls, but now that’s my new favorite.

[@Drew-Abbott]

I make fire lighters from wood shavings and wax. I put them in vape tubes. Most of the ones in the UK are steel tubes. Perfect for filling with wax and once you have two the ends can be closes by the little rubber end caps on either end

[@CaraCreations1000]

4:30 what if you do that but with duct tape 👀

[@lifeoftraveling8330]

On the egg crate ones you can add a cotton ball after pouring on the wax makes it easy to start with faro rod just press it in to the wax as the wax is half dry to make it stick

[@Mshannon75]

I soak cotton rounds in melted Vaseline. Once it’s cooled and semi-dried, I dip them in melted wax. No mess and very packable.

[@user-f5xt2op9t]

etroleum Jelly and Cotton Ball is my personal fav because it is the cheapest, fastest, long burn time, and packs down to nothin. Plus Petroleum Jelly is good for first aid so it has double duty in your pack. Take the travel sized containers, hollow it out a bit, and store half a dozen cotton balls in there. Make them to order. Truthfully, 1 cotton ball can be broken up into several starters.

[@taurbaby]

Really good video...subscribed!!

[@lhsgrobar]

Loved the video, and seeing everyone sharing their ideas in the comments too. Learning a lot. I'll contribute as well for my fire starter/extender. It's a little bulky but very effective: Take a mini muffin tin, put a small layer of wax on the bottom of each, then put in a vaseline soaked cotton ball,, then cover with sawdust, then larger wood shavings, then fill with wax. You get sealed little wax pucks, and you can poke the tip of your knife through the bottom and pull out the cotton ball to fluff it up. It'll take a spark immediately from lighter or ferro rod, and then catch the sawdust, and then the larger chip. It'll burn hot for a good 10-15 minutes. I live in a pretty wet climate, and I've gotten some very soggy wood going with these.

[@skipper9400]

I use shredded, (FINELY), Jute, to catch a spark from a ferro rod, and Fatwood Shavings to throw on it...that combination is a long-lasting instant fire and takes the place of all of the trouble getting a fire going and keeping it going until you add pencil sized sticks-fuel...and I'm in Oregon where it rains for months, and EVERYTHING is soaked...(not quite everything, but you get the idea) ....PS. if your Jute or fatwood gets wet, just shake the water off and it will STILL LIGHT !....wunnerful stuff.......OnWard........

[@JustinBilyj]

Great stuff - the straw idea is smart! When I like to cheat making fires, I just throw a matchlight charcoal briquet in a bag and it'll usually light with a lighter pretty quickly.

[@Tjohns89]

Have you tried using Black Beard Fire Starters? They work great! Very affordable and they are made in America!

[@Swearengen1980]

I have stumps and stumps of fatwood (Florida). I keep slivers cut up and stacked in my old cigar boxes. Keep a couple boxes in my truck's toolbox. If I'm going camping that doesn't require hiking a long distance, grab a few pieces to take with me. Never get tired of that smell.

[@richroc7]

I have one thing to add Clay and no disrespect. I buy the gulf wax 1lb block and I mix it with 1/3 cup of liquid paraffin lamp oil to get up to 28 minutes burn time out of one fire starter. I also use the paper condiment cups but that doesn’t matter. 👍🏼

[@YankeeWoodcraft]

5 best FIRE STARTERS you can find in the woods... 1. birch bark 2. tulip poplar bark 3. cedar bark 4. pine resign aka fatwood 5. spruce sap

[@robinconkel-hannan6629]

I use straws for salt, pepper, garlic needles, and small fishhooks but definitely gonna try them as firestarters.. I like to dip cotton balls or cosmetic pads in wax.. They can be carried in plastic or foil without messing anything up..

[@frankkuhnle7408]

You never stop learning thanks for showing.

[@jasony724]

The reason why it leaks through the ziplock bag is because it needs to be HDPE rated. There’s small containers I use for my cheap napalm mix.

[@edelmoescalona9206]

Best fire starter video on KZbin!!!!! ... the strow container was a huge tip !!! Thanks

[@RobNicol-h7l]

RIP Plastic straws. All paper now. 😞 But you can't beat a 9v battery and some wire wool.

[@carriewhiteduck1478]

Clay I would love to hear your review on Australians Alone. Mike gives me Clay vibes, he's doing reviews and you get a shout out in one of his videos.

[@clayhayeshunter]

I haven’t seen it yet. I’ll have to check it out.

[@throwdownhard1]

Like you content, here us a idea....add a cotton ball to your bundle of paraffin just right on top. Then when you go to light you just pull s9me cott9n out and it mak3s it a bit easier to light. I use all these ways you have described. Just a thought. I'm sure you got it covered.

[@thefeatheredfrontiersman8135]

You can use a firework sparkler to start a fire underwater. Not kidding if you take a metal sparkler a drop it in water, it will continue to burn. It burns very hot too, will probably ignite just about anything. Let us not forget taking apart a shotgun shell or rifle bullet and using the power and primer to start tinder. If you have a razor blade, Bobbie pin, safety pin or copper wire And a couple of batteries it's pretty easy to complete a circuit and ignite tinder. I might want to make my own video on improvised fire starting but there's just a few of a great many.

[@K94Life]

Best Bushcraft content. Appreciate your knowledge man.

[@clayhayeshunter]

You bet

[@garrymobey912]

I live in the UK, I've been searching in pine forests on a fat wood mission but as yet have not found the holy grail of fire starters, I will find some 🔥🔥

[@shadowminor]

Combine the first two. Wrap the cotton balls with duck tape.

[@jeffdege4786]

I've not used duct tape for many years. I've found that gaffer tape is far superior in every way. Except it doesn't burn...

[@iceman256]

I use Jute twine as a fire starter.Just cut twine into match length strips and soak them in hot wax for a few minutes...remove ans place them on wax paper to cool down...also take 3 foot lond strands of twine,braid them and soak in melted wax and let cool down...feed twine in a small brass on metal tube about 1/4 in diameter and 6 inches in length..just feed what you need and pull back to extinguish flame. Both work like a charm and will light under any condition,and waterproof.

[@Brent_Kearns]

I use the cotton disks soaked in lighter fluid and candle wax. But a good practice is to keep a bit of everything in your fire kit. So in mine i have the cotton disks, fat wood, char cloth, fat wood a bic with duct tape and my ferro rod.

[@7CH-912-CC3]

really easy to make... just need a straw that banned in my country... fucking hell this whole environment thing sucks and i hope the world goes up in flames

[@manuellucero8414]

What worked best for me, not counting fatwood which is excellent, after trying dozens of fire starters was cotton balls or discs impregnated with wax or paraffin.

[@BK2ATL]

I have a ton of toilet paper inserts saved. Can I sub the egg carton for cut toilet paper inserts? Maybe close the bottom with a piece of duct tape?🤔

[@NorthEastTennUSA]

If you can find a cardboard box from a grocery store that held produce, it is often coated in a type of wax. Will burn for a long time. Awesome fire starter and plenty of it.

[@NYBobby75]

Cotten balls or cotten rounds soaked with Vaseline, then put them in a folded piece of gorilla tape. like a flat disc. stays clean, and neat until needed. burns like 3 or 4 minutes.

[@letsRegulateSociopaths]

Man, how many leathermans I lost going through the airport, thanks ADHD!

[@piecetoyou8285]

Dude have you ever considered food as a source of fire burner,crunchy puffs or wotsist crisps they burn for ages cuz of the oil in them and yummy to snack on,

[@jeffreystorer4966]

Pine cones

[@donwaldroopoutdoors3665]

Do the Vaseline cotton ball sealed in duct tape , I call them condom fire starters

[@donwaldroopoutdoors3665]

Work great water doesn’t effect them last forever

[@clayhayeshunter]

Good tip

[@jasonandersen1562]

Take the Vaseline soaked cotton balls and stuff them into a 12 gauge shotgun shell, then light when needed. Burns almost long enough to be a candle.

[@JoeyWilliams89]

Imagine a bag of the egg crate starters and a bag of the straw starters and use the straw starters to start the egg crate starter. So you get the length of the egg crate starters with the easiness off the straw starters

[@windyloweryking1826]

I thought for sure you were going to call it Lighter Knot. Aww, the pure joy of lighting things on fire!

[@clayhayeshunter]

I’ve referred to it that way in other vids.

[@b9rujq278]

ive always kept a tobacco tin/altoids tin stuffed with toilet paper and daturated with melted wax. i also keep a snare wire taped to the inside of the lid of the tin so i can light it under dry wood and pull it out when it has caught

[@bitbyterjr]

A good natural alternative to fat-wood is birchbark

[@shannondavis1106]

Learned a hard lesson at around age 11 or 12, didn't get to supper that night due to cooking a rabbit over fat lighterd

[@rickeydesormeaux1552]

roll up 1/2 sheet paper towel dip in wax 2 seconds cut with scissors 1 inch long dont need anything ells

[@BaldWolf]

Love the straw idea, just wish they hadn't made plastic straws illegal

[@annfarmer9704]

you can also use dryer lint in the egg crate with the wax too...

[@Nikolainexo]

pls fix the audio, its only playing on my right ear

[@barneyporpoise7858]

Nice video. Good to see you don’t actually use a Bic. But rather a Scripto